Virginia Tech Football 2009 (10-3 Chik Fil A Bowl Champs)

[SkinsHokieFan]

Looks like Syracuse has backed out of playing us in 2010-2011

We'll open up with Boise St to start the 2010 season at FedEx Field. It should be a good game against a pretty good team, seeing that they will bring back most everyone for 2010, and will be a much better game then a cakewalk over cupcake Syracuse to start 2010.

http://www.wtvr.com/sports/local/wtv...,1314531.story

Hokies To Open 2010 Season With Boise State
Game will be played at FedEx Field in D.C.
Lane CasadonteSports Director
July 21, 2009
RICHMOND - CBS 6 sports has learned that the Virginia Tech Hokies are putting the finishing touches on a change to their 2010 and 2011 schedules.

Originally, they had planned a home and home series against former Big East rival Syracuse. But when the Orange asked out of the deal, Tech was left with holes in both schedules.

Sources tell CBS 6 sports that Boise State will fill one of those slots, opening the 2010 season against the Hokies at FedEx Field in suburban D.C. It will most likely be a made-for-TV event with the time, date and network still to be determined.

The 2011 season opener will most likely be against a different team and take place at Lane Stadium in Blacksburg. There are no current plans for the Hokies to travel to Boise State for a return game anytime in the near future.

[The Evil Genius]

Too bad we can't get our two teams back on the field together starting in 2011.

[SkinsHokieFan]

Originally Posted by The Evil Genius

Too bad we can't get our two teams back on the field together starting in 2011.

The chances of that are slim and none and slim left in 2005.

Looks like Boise st will travel to Blacksburg to fill the slot in 2011 (that is the current rumor)

[hokie4redskins]

Originally Posted by SkinsHokieFan

Looks like Syracuse has backed out of playing us in 2010-2011

We'll open up with Boise St to start the 2010 season at FedEx Field. It should be a good game against a pretty good team, seeing that they will bring back most everyone for 2010, and will be a much better game then a cakewalk over cupcake Syracuse to start 2010.

http://www.wtvr.com/sports/local/wtv...,1314531.story

Sweet! I was cringing when I saw "cuse" on the schedule. Hopefully Pitt bails too and we can rid ourselves from the Least once and for all. Boise State will be an interesting matchup.

[The Evil Genius]

Of course, Tech would probably replace Pitt (if it happened) with one of the directional michigans, carolinas, or furman/william and mary.




And Tech is smart to not travel and play on the Smurf Turf in a return game. Very little good would come of it.

[SkinsHokieFan]

Chase Williams, son of Gregg Williams, commited today.

Adding to the Skins-Hokie tradition.

The Warrens and Grimms sent their sons to VT. So did Kurt Goviea and now Gregg Williams

http://virginiatech.rivals.com/viewp...1&pr_key=86667

Another solid get, and its nice to keep that Redskins pipeline going

Last year, Registered 163 total tackles, 33 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks,
one interception, 11 pass breakups, six forced fumbles and one fumble
recovery. On offense, caught 36 balls for 431 yards and 3 TDs.

[hawgboy]

http://www.idahostatesman.com/newsup...ry/843744.html

Good morning folks,
The Idaho Statesman is saying this game (Hokies vs Broncos) is confirmed. The hilarious part is how our local hack is saying that Fed Ex will be a neutral location. (Yeah right if a 17,000: 1 fan ratio is neutral)

Anyways I am very excited at the prospect of my Broncos getting another opportunity to travel east against a BCS opponent. Out last attempt against Georgia a few years back was pretty ugly (6 INTs) but by 2010 Kellen Moore will be a Junior...then again so was Zabransky.

[SkinsHokieFan]

Originally Posted by hawgboy

http://www.idahostatesman.com/newsup...ry/843744.html

Good morning folks,
The Idaho Statesman is saying this game (Hokies vs Broncos) is confirmed. The hilarious part is how our local hack is saying that Fed Ex will be a neutral location. (Yeah right if a 17,000: 1 fan ratio is neutral)

Anyways I am very excited at the prospect of my Broncos getting another opportunity to travel east against a BCS opponent. Out last attempt against Georgia a few years back was pretty ugly (6 INTs) but by 2010 Kellen Moore will be a Junior...then again so was Zabransky.

I'd say Hokie Nation is looking forward to this game also. FedEx was a blast when we played USC in 2004, and Boise State will be a very good quality opponent in 2010.

Of course anything can happen over the next year or so, but I think all of us are looking forward to a very good hard fought game next October

If you want, you can check out www.techsideline.com and post there is you wish to get a bigger picture of what VT fans are thinking

[hawgboy]

Thanks SHF, I may do that
Now that I'm thinking of it...I wonder what the chances are of:
A. Oct 2 2010 being a Saturday
B. The Redskins having a Home game the following day.

Though I've been a Skins fan for going on 30 yrs, I've never got to see them live. Me and a RaiderFan bro are working out a trip to the Black Hole this December, but I bet that would PALE in comparison to being part of the home crowd! Especially after all these years of being the ONLY Redskins fan in the room.

It would be awesome to See Boise St vs Virginia Tech, Whoever vs Washington, and the Smithsonian/ Arlington all in one trip.

Dare to dream!

[SkinsHokieFan]

Originally Posted by hawgboy

Thanks SHF, I may do that
Now that I'm thinking of it...I wonder what the chances are of:
A. Oct 2 2010 being a Saturday
B. The Redskins having a Home game the following day.

Though I've been a Skins fan for going on 30 yrs, I've never got to see them live. Me and a RaiderFan bro are working out a trip to the Black Hole this December, but I bet that would PALE in comparison to being part of the home crowd! Especially after all these years of being the ONLY Redskins fan in the room.

It would be awesome to See Boise St vs Virginia Tech, Whoever vs Washington, and the Smithsonian/ Arlington all in one trip.

Dare to dream!

October 2nd is a Saturday, and I am fairly certain (just with the logistics) the NFL would have the Redskins on the road that weekend.

[hokie4redskins]

Cowherd's ACC Preview. Should read "sixth" 10-win season.

http://www.theherdsword.com/2009/07/24/3181/

ACC Football Preview
“Va. Tech Is The Best of ACC’s Blah Dreck”
Coastal
1. Virginia Tech 11-1
Big Wins: Alabama, North Carolina Big Loss: @Georgia Tech Over/Under Win Total: 9 OVER
Frank Beamer has one of the best looking teams during his tenure at Virginia Tech, which means a lot considering the amount of talent that has run through this program. Look for the Hokies to make a statement September 5 against Alabama, when they meet in Atlanta. QB Tyrod Taylor has a lot on his plate but he also has a defense that can bail him out of any situation. Knowing that your defense is going to create two or three turnovers a game is a very good feeling. RB Darren Evans comes off a strong freshman campaign in which he ran for 1,265 yards and 11TDs, which also bodes well for Tech. Here’s our big concern: They are going to face a Georgia Tech team in the middle of the season that will have their back against the wall after losing a few close games early on. It will end up being the biggest game on their schedule. If they can get past the Ramblin’ Wreck, in Atlanta, we could be talking about a National Championship contender. The rest of their tough games are at home and Blacksburg is one of the most uncomfortable places to play in America. While Taylor must improve his accuracy and pocket savvy to become a championship-level leader, the defense boasts some of the best athletes in the ACC. DE Jason Worilds and CB Stephan Virgil are two of the best players in the country at their respective positions. The linebacking core needs to find a leader but Beamer has never had a problem developing those on the defensive side of the ball. Combine that with the tremendous special teams play you receive out of a Frank Beamer coached club and it adds up to a fifth straight season of 10 or more wins for the Hokies.

[SkinsHokieFan]

This pay matieral, so I'll only post excerpts. But what a great interview by Chase Williams (former DC Gregg Williams' son), talking about his commitment to VT

http://www.techsideline.com/news_arc...ticle-4601.php

TSL: How long has football been a big priority for you?

Chase Williams: "Football has been in my life ever since I was born. I played all sports when I was younger, everything from track to baseball to basketball to football to soccer. When I got to high school, football was the only one that stuck. It was the only one I wanted to play. From a young age, I've played football and I always loved the sport."

TSL: Your next stop will be Blacksburg. What are your impressions about it?

Chase Williams: "I've made two trips down there. I went last fall for the UVa/Virginia Tech game. I had a great time, but I didn't get to sit down with the coaches. It was gameday, so all the coaches did was meet and greet. They were focused on the game. I made another trip down a little less than two weeks ago. I spent the morning with the staff, talking with Coach Foster and Coach Beamer. I felt at home there."

TSL: Was deciding early something you wanted to do or just something that happened?

Chase Williams: "Actually, I'm going to graduate in December and enroll in January, so my process was already sped up a little bit. That part came into play halfway through the spring. I decided that's what I wanted to do, so my process sped up a little bit. I wanted to make a decision to be able to concentrate on having a good senior year."

TSL: In terms of choosing a college, did you know much about Virginia Tech before this process? Were you a Tech fan prior to your recruitment?

Chase Williams: "Growing up, I've never been a college football fan. I've never lived in one place long enough to in any way be attached to a college team. When I moved here, I guess I started to pay attention to Virginia Tech a little bit because they were always on TV. In the same way, I still wasn't as much of a college football fan. I never had a favorite school. The fact that Virginia Tech is in Virginia and close to Loudoun County isn't big because I never really knew growing up where my home was going to be. The main thing was to make sure I'd be around good people. I felt like I liked meeting the coaches. I liked how they ran things and felt right about Virginia Tech."

This part I found very cool

TSL: What is your take on Virginia Tech's defense? What position do you feel might best suit you at this point?

Chase Williams: "The defense is very familiar. Actually, Virginia Tech runs a college version of what my dad has been running for 30 years. The terminology is even close. The schemes and coverages are similar to what my dad runs. It is familiar in that respect. In terms of where I see myself fitting in, I'll do whichever position Coach Foster feels I can perform at. I like being a middle linebacker and almost being the quarterback of the defense. At the same time, the Backer position may be more suitable for where I am - a younger player who still needs to learn the defense. I maybe see myself being a versatile guy that can play either position until they feel comfortable with me at just one.

And this

TSL: Did your father have any input on your decision?

Chase Williams: "My dad went on the most recent trip with me. Him and Coach Foster have known of each other for a while. My dad had nothing but great things to say. Coach Foster has always been very successful and always has had top 10 defenses. My dad's quote was that, in his opinion, Coach Foster is one of the top two or three defensive coordinators in the NCAA. I feel comfortable playing for him, and how much acclaim he has is exciting."

If you are a TSL subscriber, you can read the rest of it

[hokie4redskins]

I thought Chase was dying to go to LSU but they didn't offer the scholly. But that might be TSL conjecture.

[SkinsHokieFan]

Beamer never has this kind of praise for the team. Expectations are high inside the program this year, that is for sure

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...072702651.html

Hokies Are the Class of the ACC
Va. Tech Picked at Football Kickoff
By Mark Viera
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, July 28, 2009

GREENSBORO, N.C., July 27 -- Virginia Tech Coach Frank Beamer likes to talk about living in the present. He and his players are not shy to repeat a refrain about their a day-at-a-time mantra. And on Monday at the ACC Football Kickoff, the Hokies did not accomplish anything.

But the announcement that the news media selected Virginia Tech to finish atop the Coastal Division and to win the ACC championship was the latest indication that the Hokies have unseated Florida State, selected to win the Atlantic Division, as the class of the conference.

Before the ACC expanded prior to the 2004 season, the Seminoles had won 11 conference championships in 12 years. In the five years since, Virginia Tech has won three conference titles. The Hokies have to prove themselves this season in a deep conference in which top teams are separated by a sliver. But Virginia Tech is still seen by some as having establishing itself as the cream of the ACC.

"We haven't had the success in the 2000s than we did in the 1990s, when we won more games in the history of football in 10 years," Florida State Coach Bobby Bowden said, whose .832 winning percentage in ACC games leads Beamer's .791 among active coaches. "We didn't come close to it after that. I think a lot of that isn't because we got that bad, but the conference has gotten so much better. They're making us look bad."

Entering this season, Virginia Tech has the pieces in place to make another run at the conference crown and perhaps shake up the national landscape. The Hokies won the Orange Bowl last season and return eight starters on offense and seven on defense.

"I think we played well at the end," Beamer said of last season's finish. "You gain some confidence. I think we got a lot of good players coming back. If there's one thing that's out there, it's that we may still be too young overall as a football team. But we'll see where we go with that."

For all of Virginia Tech's success, it might be easy to forget that it almost did not become an ACC member. The initial proposal for the conference's three-team expansion involved Miami, Boston College and Syracuse. When Virginia Tech was added, it dramatically altered the makeup of the ACC.

From 1987 to 2000, Florida State strung together 14 straight seasons with 10 or more wins and finished in the top five in the Associated Press poll in each of those years. The Seminoles dominated the ACC in many of those years, flattening opponents by 40-point margins and showcasing athletes such as 1993 Heisman Trophy winner Charlie Ward.

But the Seminoles have dropped off in recent years, despite upsetting Virginia Tech to win the 2005 ACC title game. Since the conference's expansion, Florida State has not had a 10-win season and has a 40-24 record, with 7-6 finishes in 2006 and 2007.

"For any player that goes to Florida State, we don't have any plans to lose," Seminoles linebacker Dekoda Watson said. "You go there for a certain tradition; you go there to be the top dog. It hasn't happened in a long time."

Virginia Tech is one of only three division I-A programs with 10 wins or more in each of the past five seasons, joining Texas and Southern California.

Still, the ACC has been marginalized in the national championship picture. Although the conference sent 10 teams to bowl games last season, no team dominated and the league was cast as mediocre. Last season, for example, the inexperienced Hokies lost three games and narrowly escaped in many of their wins, and their rise to the top was indicative of the slim gap among the conference's teams.

"If you really step back and take a look at the conferences a year ago, top to bottom, we may well have been the deepest conference in the country a year ago," ACC Commissioner John Swofford said. "What we didn't have was a team or two involved in the national championship race down the stretch. And I think that has a lot to do with how a conference is perceived competitively, maybe more than it should."

Virginia Tech has the opportunity to make a statement about the credibility of the conference, and its legitimacy as a national title contender, when it opens the season against Alabama on Sept. 5 in Atlanta. The Hokies bring back key components from their predictably brutish defense and appear to have reached a level of offensive steadiness with the emergence of quarterback Tyrod Taylor and a developing offensive line.

Asked who was the ACC team to beat, Duke quarterback Thaddeus Lewis said: "Virginia Tech. Easy."

Only once before, in 2007, has Virginia Tech been the preseason favorite to win the conference. The Hokies won the conference that season but lost to Kansas in the Orange Bowl. But there is a growing energy in Blacksburg, Va., for those hoping this season will end differently.

"I'm excited about this football team," Beamer said. "I do like this football team. I think being picked where we are, if things are legit, then I think it's an honor to be picked there. And I think it's legit."

[hokie4redskins]

FSU is garbage, but you gotta love Bobby Bowden.

http://collegefootball.rivals.com/co...asp?CID=969126



GREENSBORO, N.C. - The chatter started as soon as Virginia Tech whipped Cincinnati in the Orange Bowl to give the Atlantic Coast Conference its first victory in a BCS game since Florida State's 1999 national championship season.

Now that the Hokies had ended the ACC's BCS hex, could they also give the conference a national title contender?

The Hokies don't see why not. After all, that's always been their mission.
"I'm not shying away from the fact that I think Virginia Tech can win a national championship," Hokies coach Frank Beamer said Monday at the ACC Media Days gathering at the Grandover Resort and Conference Center. "Things have to fall into place. Things have to line up for you. But I think that's your intention. When you're recruiting kids, you recruit kids who want to go win a national championship."

With relatively little fanfare, Virginia Tech has emerged as one of the nation's most consistently successful programs. Virginia Tech, USC and Texas are the only programs in the nation to win at least 10 games over the past five seasons. Yet the Hokies don't receive the same level of attention as those two programs.

The reason is easy to explain. USC has claimed a national title, a 4-1 bowl record and five top-five finishes during that span. Texas has a national championship, a 5-0 bowl mark and three top-five finishes. Virginia Tech has gone 2-3 in bowls and hasn't finished higher than seventh in the Associated Press poll. In fact, no ACC team has ended a season in the top five since Florida State delivered the last of its 14 consecutive top-five finishes in 2000. (The Seminoles joined the conference in 1992.)

Virginia Tech has been the one ACC program on the verge of breaking through as a national title contender.

"[Beamer] hangs around so close," Florida State coach Bobby Bowden said. "I equate it to putting. He's lipped out so many times. One of them is going to fall here before long."

This could be the year it happens.

The Hokies have won two consecutive ACC championships and enter the season as an overwhelming favorite to do it again. In the preseason media poll released Monday, 69 of the 87 voters (79 percent) picked Virginia Tech to win the league title. Now that they have earned a reputation as the ACC's dominant program, the Hokies are ready to become more of a player in the national title chase.

"A lot of people expect us to be better than we were last year," Virginia Tech tight end Greg Boone said. "We also expect to be better."

They'll have an early chance to prove it.

Virginia Tech opens the season Sept. 5 against Alabama at the Georgia Dome. The nationally televised showcase against a Southeastern Conference heavyweight gives the Hokies a chance to make an immediate statement.

If they win, they establish themselves as a legitimate national title contender. If they lose, they could get written off as one more ACC team that couldn't hack it on a national stage.

Frankly, this game might mean as much to the ACC as it does to the Hokies. Even though the ACC split its 12 games with SEC opponents last year, the ACC has hurt its national stature by losing early season showdowns with the SEC.

South Carolina buried N.C. State 34-0 on the opening night of the 2008 season. Two nights later, Alabama embarrassed Clemson 34-10 at the Georgia Dome. Clemson never quite recovered from that nationally televised pratfall.

Virginia Tech knows the feeling well. Two years ago, the Hokies lost 48-7 at LSU in the second week of the season. The Hokies insist they have learned from that experience.

"We were comfortable where we were at two years ago," Boone said. "I don't think in the game of football you can ever be comfortable. We went down there expecting to win, but they came out more focused and ready to play. As a competitive person, you can never allow yourself to get comfortable. You can only allow yourself to get better. We have to make sure we're not comfortable, that we're ready for that exact moment in time and don't hold anything back."

Virginia Tech's track record suggests the Hokies won't have a Clemson-style collapse if they also fall to Alabama. The Hokies recovered from that loss to LSU two years ago and went on to reach the Orange Bowl.

Of course, they'd rather not have to deal with the fallout of a second consecutive season-opening loss. They know what a victory over Alabama could mean to their program.

"Everybody's lifting harder, running faster," Virginia Tech safety Kam Chancellor said. "We're a more focused team."

They also need to be a more explosive team.

Virginia Tech somehow went 10-4 last year with an offense that was often putrid. The Hokies ranked 90th in the nation in scoring, 103rd in total offense and 111th in passing offense.

This wasn't a one-year aberration. Virginia Tech has ranked no better than 99th in the nation in total offense each of the past three years, which makes it all the more remarkable that the Hokies have continued stockpiling 10-win seasons.


"Offensively, I think we got behind at a couple of positions, and I think that we've caught up now," Beamer said. "I feel better about it. I think we're in a better position now to consistently run the football and consistently throw the football. The big thing is to win football games. Sometimes you have to play to what you've got, and I think we've done a great job of doing that."

Much of the responsibility for an upgraded offense falls on the shoulders of Tyrod Taylor, who has struggled as a passer since signing with the Hokies as the No. 1 dual-threat quarterback in the 2007 recruiting class. Taylor's running ability has given opposing defenses fits, but he threw seven interceptions and only two touchdown passes last season.

Taylor spent his first two seasons competing for playing time with Sean Glennon. He also had the misfortune last season of throwing to a receiving corps dominated by freshmen. Now that Glennon has ended his college career and his receivers have gained a year of experience, Taylor could be poised for a breakthrough season.

"I think his leadership is kicking in right now," Beamer said. "I really think Tyrod's getting ready to have a big year.............................................. "

If the Hokies can put together an adequate offense to go along with their usual brand of defense, they just might see themselves playing for more than a mere conference championship.

"As much winning as we've done, I still think our best years are ahead of us," Beamer said. "If you knock on the door enough times, hopefully you knock it in one day."

Entire article at link